TIP: HOW TO HIT ANY SAND SHOT

The best way to learn to hit different distances from the sand is to focus on your follow-through. Keep your backswing length and swing speed consistent but swing to a finish that corresponds to the distance and height you want to hit the ball. Start with two options: a low finish for a low, short shot, (pictured) and a high finish for a higher, longer shot. And remember, always let the clubhead pass your hands so you don't get it stuck in the sand.

—Rick Smith / Golf Digest Teaching Professional

Get Down In Three

On tricky bunker shots, look for the easiest out

Turn away from the hole and give yourself a lower lip, flatter stance or more green to hit to.

The reality is, tour players get up and down only about 50 percent of the time from greenside bunkers, and they have great technique, practice all the time and play courses in perfect condition.

I point that out not to discourage you, but to get you to look at the big picture when you're faced with a tough sand shot. If you're aiming at the flag and aren't sure if you can carry the lip, or you have a weird stance, you're already fighting the odds. You need to think about the easiest way to get up and down in three, so do a little math. For most players, it means getting out of the bunker successfully -- in any direction -- then taking two putts. Don't be afraid to turn away from the hole and give yourself a lower lip, flatter stance or more green to hit to. You'll have a much better average outcome -- and better chance to hole your next shot -- if you're safely on the green instead of hitting again from the bunker after you crashed one off the lip.